Mozilla won't stay default browser, Win 2k, SP3

Gunnar · Post by **Gunnar** » January 22nd, 2003, 1:19 pm

Hi,

I don't know if anyone else has this problem, but ever since I installed Service Pack 3 for Windows 2000, Mozilla never stays my default browser. Somehow the newly added "default program" option, that lets you specify which program should e.g. be your default browser IE gets made default every time I start Windows. The problem appears to be that programs must apparently include some kind of code (as specified by MS, of course) in order to be recognized as a potential default browser, media, player,...

Anyhow, this is very annoying, so I was wondering if there is some way (e.g. registry hack) to permanently make Mozilla 1.0.2 the default browser? Thanks!

Gunnar

Gunnar · Post by **Gunnar** » January 23rd, 2003, 11:11 am

Does no one else notice this? Odd...

Jack · Post by **Jack** » January 23rd, 2003, 12:37 pm

I had this same exact problem with Mozilla 1.2.1 under Windows 2000 Professional, Service Pack Three. I could never get it to "stick" as default browser. Oddly enough though, when I "down-graded" to Mozilla 1.0.2, somehow that has managed to "stick" as default browser, when I didn't do a damned thing differently.

I know this doesn't help you any, but I just figured I'd let you know you aren't the only one to experience the problem.

Jack

aleejooo · Post by **aleejooo** » January 23rd, 2003, 1:09 pm

I've noticed a very similar behavior in my WinXP Prof(SP1). Is that some kind of conspiracy?

lostnihilist · Post by **lostnihilist** » January 24th, 2003, 3:28 am

This problem just recently (i.e. today) came up for me. On both of my computers. One is XP home (i don't think any winupdates, i'm planning on changing OS's soon, so i've not updated) moz 1.2.1 and the other win2kpro w/ all updates moz 1.2.1 Not sure what the problem is either

Gunnar · Post by **Gunnar** » January 24th, 2003, 8:59 am

I think I can at least shed some light on the issue. Here's a quote from this Computerworld.com article.

Computerworld.com wrote:But the 125MB SP3 also contains some atypical elements, including a pop-up screen that lets users select the default settings for the "middleware" programs, such as the Web browser and media player, they want to use. Microsoft implemented that change in response to the consent decree it signed with the U.S. Department of Justice and nine settling states.

Charmaine Gravning, a Windows product manager at Microsoft, said users have the option to select Microsoft middleware, non-Microsoft middleware or a combination of the two.

The same goes for Win XP SP1.

What the article does not mention is that the program has to register itself with this applet (I guess it's an applet) in order for it to be selectable. This adds an extra burden on MS competitors, since they need to implement it. The only non-MS program I have seen that does this so far is the latest version of RealOne. I have not figured out how it works since this feature seems to un-default programs that do not show up in this list.

I think it would be good to add a bug for this - I searched Bugzilla and could not find anything related. Can anyone more knowledgeable (and who is registered for Bugzilla) please do this?

MozSaysAloha · Post by **MozSaysAloha** » January 25th, 2003, 5:24 pm

I have Win XP (which is W2k) and I have made Mozilla, Opera, NS, and K-Meleon my default and it's stuck. I am beginning to think this a W2k Mozilla issue. Have you filed a bug?

Gunnar · Post by **Gunnar** » January 26th, 2003, 7:35 am

No, I haven't filed a bug. I guess I should register a Bugzilla account.
Do you use Win XP SP1?

Gunnar · Post by **Gunnar** » January 29th, 2003, 4:17 am

I have added a Mozilla bug. It's Bug 190927
If someone else has this problem, please add your comment to this bug. Thanks!

MozSaysAloha · Post by **MozSaysAloha** » February 10th, 2003, 9:47 pm

Gunnar wrote:Do you use Win XP SP1?

Yes I do. I've made Moz the default and it has stuck.

sime · Post by **sime** » February 13th, 2003, 6:00 pm

You used the: Set Access and Program Defaults thing?!

I am Win2k SP3 Mozilla 1.x never had a problem about sticky ness.

lostnihilist · Post by **lostnihilist** » February 14th, 2003, 12:15 am

i'm no longer having this bug. It lasted a week for me and that's about it. I didn't change anything and it went away. I've not been able to reproduce it. if you have any ideas on how to reproduce, email me and i'll see if it happens. jasams at uchicago dot edu

Gunnar · Post by **Gunnar** » February 14th, 2003, 8:47 am

sime wrote:You used the: Set Access and Program Defaults thing?!

I am Win2k SP3 Mozilla 1.x never had a problem about sticky ness.

Yes, I used it. The odd thing is that Mozilla 1.0.2 won't even stay default browser during one Windows session, i.e. I start Windows, start Mozilla and make it my default browser (again), then I exit Mozilla, go home from work but leave my PC on and the next morning, Mozilla is no longer my default browser, which makes the behavior even odder.

One more thing> Whenever Mozilla is un-defaulted, IE's status is also changed. I use IE for testing purposes and when I launch it, IE will ask if I want to make it my default browser. I - of course - select "No" and at the same time I uncheck the "check if IE is the defualt browser in the future". When un-defaulting Mozilla as default, my unchecking of the "Internet Explorer should check to see whether it is the default browser" has been reset, as well, i.e. IE will once again ask if I want to make it the default. This is highly annoying since I feel that Windows has wrestled even more control from me.

Smokey · Post by **Smokey** » February 14th, 2003, 9:46 am

i remember seeing an update on windows updadate, a patch for default programs. it was for XP, but i remember seeing a patch for 2k as well. maybe you can search on the MS site for it

sime · Post by **sime** » February 14th, 2003, 7:41 pm

Smokey wrote:i remember seeing an update on windows updadate, a patch for default programs. it was for XP, but i remember seeing a patch for 2k as well. maybe you can search on the MS site for it

Nah, i think your referring to launching IE after adding an ISP instead of launching default broswer patch.

Also whenever I install Win2k SP3 i put IE 6.0 (now with SP1). You using IE 5 (default in Win2k?)

Mozilla won't stay default browser, Win 2k, SP3

Mozilla won't stay default browser, Win 2k, SP3

SP3

Re: SP3